{"id":18315,"date":"2023-08-15T12:49:20","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T16:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/?page_id=18315"},"modified":"2026-05-19T12:48:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T16:48:37","slug":"a-lactation-room-of-ones-own","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/blog\/a-lactation-room-of-ones-own\/","title":{"rendered":"A LACTATION ROOM OF ONE\u2019S OWN"},"content":{"rendered":"
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August is\u00a0Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee focused the first week on \u201cmaking a difference for working parents.\u201d Without federal or state-guaranteed paid family leave for all workers, parents making a difficult decision\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0return\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0work after childbirth also have\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0deal with the logistical challenges of breastfeeding while separated from their children. The\u00a0Virginia Department of Health\u00a0notes that parents with less than three months of maternity leave report ending breastfeeding earlier than those who receive three or more months of leave.<\/p>\n

One resource workplaces can and should offer breastfeeding employees is a private, clean, and safe space for expressing breast milk while at work. This year\u2019s Breastfeeding Awareness Month is the first since Congress passed the\u00a0PUMP (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers) Act, which expands nursing workers\u2019 right\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0private lactation spaces and breaks for pumping in almost all workplaces, and the\u00a0Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. \u201cWidespread use of these\u00a0to<\/span>ols will help create an environment where pregnant and postpartum workers can succeed in work and family life balance,\u201d says State WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator Jarene Fleming.<\/p>\n

For RHHD, lactation spaces aren\u2019t only a public health recommendation; they\u2019re an important part of our workplace landscape for breastfeeding employees. Small lactation rooms exist at our Cary Street, East Henrico, and West Henrico locations.<\/p>\n

Joanna Cirillo is RHHD\u2019s Public Health Nurse Supervisor and mom\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0Matilda, who will turn one in September. As part of a department funding initiative\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0make the lactation spaces feel safer and cozier for breastfeeding workers, Joanna spent her final days in the office ahead of maternity leave refreshing the Cary Street room, adding wallpaper\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0complement the existing milk fridge, warm lighting, and pump cleaning supplies. The most important\u00a0to<\/span>uch, she says, came from previous employee Stephanie\u00a0To<\/span>ney: a bulletin board where nursing parents could post photos of their infants\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0look at while they pumped (a strategy\u2014like other relaxation techniques\u2014that has proven\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0increase milk output). Having worked in a maternity clinic previously, she knew that \u201cSuch a big transition is so hard, and anything that you or your workplace can\u00a0do<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0make the transition back easier and more welcoming [matters]. Obviously, we know breastmilk is good for babies. You will be more productive in a nice space,\u00a0to<\/span>o\u2014if you\u2019re relaxed and happy and looking at pictures of your baby, it will go better for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

While a lactation space should offer privacy and calm for a breastfeeding parent, Joanna says that the room actually helps her feel connected\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0other moms in the building: \u201cMotherhood is such a unique experience, and you gain so much knowledge and advice from other mothers. When you\u2019re\u00a0do<\/span>ing anything for the first time, it\u2019s so intimidating, especially a huge thing like birth and then coming back\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0work. All my other coworkers that had used [the space] had advice: \u2018here\u2019s some things that could make it easier, here are some things you can use.\u201d You forget certain parts [of the pump], you have\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0clean it at work, and it\u2019s all stressful, so it makes it a little bit easier\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0know you\u2019re all in it\u00a0to<\/span>gether.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe most importantly, Joanna\u2019s time using the lactation room has helped her reflect on the intersections of her roles as a mom, a colleague, and a public health worker: \u201cHaving gone through figuring out breastfeeding, pumping, being a working mom and pumping at work so that my baby gets as much breast milk as they can, it\u2019s so much easier\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0relate\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0people when you\u2019ve gone through it yourself. Any public health intervention that we want people\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0do<\/span>, having lived experience ourselves just makes it so much easier\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0say, \u2018yep, I remember when I forgot all my pump parts or when baby wouldn\u2019t latch.\u2019 It makes it easier\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0connect and support people when they\u2019re having problems or help people advocate in their own place of work if they\u00a0do<\/span>n\u2019t have a safe and clean and private place\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0pump.\u201d<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re a worker currently or soon-to<\/span>-be breastfeeding, or if you want\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0support your co-workers returning\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0work after giving birth, consider the following resources:<\/p>\n

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  • Rights in the workplace:<\/strong>\u00a0this fact sheet on the\u00a0Fair Labor Standards Act\u00a0(updated\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0include PUMP) will help you\u00a0understand who and what is covered, and where\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0go if a workplace is violating your rights<\/li>\n
  • Advocacy support:<\/strong>\u00a0even knowing you have federally protected rights\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0things like a clean, private lactation space or breaks\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0pump, it can feel difficult\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0talk\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0a supervisor about what you need. This\u00a0to<\/span>olkit on\u00a0talking\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0your boss\u00a0offers suggestions for when and how\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0have important conversations about workplace accommodations. (In Spanish:\u00a0C\u00f3mo hablar con tu jefe acerca tu extractor de leche materna)<\/li>\n
  • Design time!<\/strong>\u00a0If you have the ability\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0create or offer input on your workplace\u2019s lactation space,\u00a0these recommendations\u00a0will make the room feel friendlier, safer, and more productive for lactating workers.<\/li>\n
  • A bigger\u00a0to<\/span>olbox:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe whole ethos of being a family-friendly or supportive workplace includes being breastfeeding friendly but extends beyond that,\u201d Joanna says. Helping breastfeeding workers succeed in the workplace might also include other accommodations like schedule changes or uniform modifications. And discussions about how\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0support workers in the early stages of raising children shouldn\u2019t stop as kids grow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Joanna knows it can be isolating\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0feel as if you\u2019re asking for \u201cspecial treatment\u201d in the workplace, particularly if you\u2019re the only currently pregnant or breastfeeding worker. Remember, she suggests, that \u201cthere were people before you and there will be people after you. Even if you\u00a0do<\/span>n\u2019t know anyone that is going through this exact stage at the same time, there will definitely be people after you who need the service.\u201d When we speak up for the accommodations we need\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0do<\/span>\u00a0our work well, all workers benefit!<\/p>\n

    Stay tuned as Breastfeeding Awareness Month continues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    August is\u00a0Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee focused the first week on \u201cmaking a difference for working parents.\u201d Without federal or state-guaranteed paid family leave for all workers, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":590,"featured_media":0,"parent":18310,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[31],"class_list":["post-18315","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nA LACTATION ROOM OF ONE\u2019S OWN - Richmond City Health Department<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/blog\/a-lactation-room-of-ones-own\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A LACTATION ROOM OF ONE\u2019S OWN - 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